1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a device for driver assistance.
2. Description of Related Art
The published German patent document 100 53 315 shows an example of a method and a device for driver assistance in which traffic signs are detected with the aid of a camera installed inside the vehicle. The traffic signs are extracted from the images recorded by the camera and compared to stored patterns. If a traffic sign is found, a measure that is appropriate for the traffic sign may be initiated if warranted, for instance a warning signal generated. Traffic signs that appear on the road lane, such as a zebra crossing or the like, are detected as well.
An example of the detection and modeling of road lane boundary markings from video images, is described in the published German patent document DE 196 27 938; in this case, lane width, lane curvature, change in curvature, and lateral offset of the vehicle, among others, are ascertained as parameters.
Of special importance in today's traffic is that the driver have a satisfactory view of the traffic situation. For this reason, work is currently conducted on systems for curve-dependent light control in which the alignment of the vehicle lights, which is fixed at present, is designed to be variable in order to provide improved illumination of the curve during cornering. The published German patent document DE 197 13 884 shows one such example.